This invention relates to measuring devices and, more particularly, to telescoping measuring devices having sequentially telescoping arms.
In carpentry and other fields, it is common to measure distances between two or more selected points. Currently, available measuring devices measure many distances, such as external distances bounded by at least one outside edge of a component, with sufficient accuracy. Frequently, however, the distances to be measured are defined between two components, so that the measurements must be taken internally. While it is typically critical that internal measurements be accurate, most currently available measuring devices are not adapted to take internal measurements with a high degree of accuracy leading to reduced quality products, increased production time, and increased production cost.
The currently available measuring devices generally lack the ability to confirm that measurements are being taken across the shortest distance between two components. Further, many of these devices, such as tape measures, exhibit a tendency to bend when taking internal measurements resulting in erroneous measurements. Thus, the accuracy of the measurement depends more on the skill of the operator than the measuring device used. Additionally, some of these devices are expensive and bulky thereby impairing their use.
Thus, increasing internal measurement accuracy, while maintaining high external measurement accuracy, is desirable to enhance the quality of products, increase production rate, and reduce production cost. It is also desirable to consistently obtain accurate measurements with reduced reliance on the skill of the operator. Additionally, it is desirable to provide a measuring device that is compact and reasonably priced.